U.S. patent number 4,673,084 [Application Number 06/778,881] was granted by the patent office on 1987-06-16 for container for dispensing surgical masks.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Tecnol, Inc.. Invention is credited to Welton K. Brunson, Vance M. Hubbard.
United States Patent |
4,673,084 |
Hubbard , et al. |
June 16, 1987 |
Container for dispensing surgical masks
Abstract
A container (12) is disclosed for storing and dispensing
surgical face masks (14). A divider (24) with an opening (47) is
insertable into the container (12) for dividing it into two
compartments (26, 28). The face panels of the masks (14) are
stacked in one compartment (26), and the tie strings (30) are
routed through the divider opening (47) into the other compartment
(28). The divider (24) includes a pair of interlocking flaps (56,
58) which are engageable with folding flaps (34, 36) of the
container, thereby locking the divider (24) in a desired position
within the container (12).
Inventors: |
Hubbard; Vance M. (Bedford,
TX), Brunson; Welton K. (Bedford, TX) |
Assignee: |
Tecnol, Inc. (Fort Worth,
TX)
|
Family
ID: |
25114673 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/778,881 |
Filed: |
September 23, 1985 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/438; 206/278;
206/440; D34/7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
5/541 (20130101); B65D 85/18 (20130101); B65D
83/0811 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
5/54 (20060101); B65D 85/18 (20060101); B65D
83/08 (20060101); B65D 085/24 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/438,213,278,440,441,205,278,503,297 ;128/139 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Moy; Joseph Man-Fu
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Mills; Jerry W. Chauza; Roger
N.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A dispenser for shipping and dispensing surgical masks of the
type having a face panel and attached ties, comprising:
a container for holding a plurality of the surgical masks oriented
in a stacked configuration, said container having a dispensing
aperture for enabling removal of the masks from said container;
dividing means for separating said container into first and second
compartments, said first compartment being disposed adjacent said
dispensing aperture and containing the stacked face panels of the
masks;
said dividing means including means for allowing the mask ties to
be disposed along one side of said container from said first
compartment into said second compartment;
said second compartment being disposed adjacent said first
compartment and opposite said dispensing aperture, and said second
compartment being dimensioned to contain the ends of the mask
ties;
said masks thereby being individually removable from said container
through said dispensing aperture without the undesirable removal or
entanglement of adjacent masks.
2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said dividing means comprises a
support surface capable of supporting said stacked configuration of
masks, and an opening for routing the mask ties therethrough.
3. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein said container is a box, and
said dividing means is disposed in a plane parallel to the side of
said box containing said aperture;
said dividing means having a first, second, third, and fourth
side;
said first, second, and third sides being disposed adjacent to the
walls of said container; and
said fourth side being operative to form said first and second
compartments and shaped to form an opening therebetween.
4. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said fourth side is shaped to
form a rectangular opening.
5. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said fourth side creates an
opening with arcuate inside corners.
6. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein said dividing means further
includes:
a first and second side section flush with said container;
a first and second interlocking flap;
said first interlocking flap being attached to said first side
section; and
said second interlocking flap being attached to said second side
section.
7. The dispenser of claim 6 wherein said first and second
interlocking flaps interlock with said container to lock said
dividing means in a fixed position within said container.
8. The dispenser of claim 7 wherein said dividing means is
positioned such that the volume of said first compartment is
substantially equal to the volume of said second compartment.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to containers, and more
particularly to a method and apparatus for storing and dispensing
surgical masks.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Disposable surgical masks for hospital use are commonly fabricated
from inexpensive paper or fabric to enable disposal after use.
Surgical masks generally include a flat, rectangular panel which
covers the face of the wearer, with four ties or strings attached
by stitching or heat sealings to the corners of the rectangular
panel. The masks are generally sold and stored in groups, and are
removed one by one for use.
Heretofore, surgical mask dispensers have allowed dispensing only
at a relatively high cost. In order to keep the mask ties from
becoming entangled during storage and dispensing, the ties of each
mask were required to be individually folded over the rectangular
portion before stacking the folded masks in a dispensing box. Such
folding is generally required to be done by hand, thereby incurring
added manufacturing costs. Were the masks not individually folded,
the removal of one mask could result in the inadvertent removal of
several masks due to their entangled tie straps. As a result, many
masks were either wasted or contaminated.
Hospitals are currently faced with the need to reduce costs and
with the need to increase sanitary conditions. A need has thus
arisen for a surgical mask storage container and dispenser which
eliminates the requirement to individually fold each mask and
associated strings, but still allows tangle-free removal of the
masks from the dispenser.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a container for storing
and dispensing surgical masks is provided which substantially
reduces or eliminates the shortcomings previously associated with
prior dispensing techniques.
In accordance with the present invention, an open-topped dispensing
container includes an interior with a divider which forms an upper
and a lower compartment within the container. The flat rectangular
panels of the masks are oriented in a stacked configuration and
deposited in the upper compartment. The bundle of ties attached to
the stack of masks are routed over the divider and into the lower
compartment. The masks can then be individually removed from the
open top of the container without becoming tangled with adjacent
masks.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the divider
includes two side flaps which interlock with container flaps to fix
the divider in a desired location therein.
In further accordance with the present invention, a method of
stacking the surgical masks includes arranging the mask ties such
that all the ties protrude from the same side of the stack and are
stored in a compartment separate from the rectangular mask
panels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a detailed description of the present invention and for further
objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the
following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention during use;
FIG. 2 is a cut-away side view showing the relationship of the
container interior, the masks, the divider, and the routing of the
ties;
FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the container, surgical masks, and
the divider of the invention; and
FIGS. 4-6 are perspective views of the container bottom, showing
the various flap folding steps for closing the container and fixing
the divider therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the surgical mask dispenser in
accordance with the present invention, and is generally identified
by reference character 10. The dispenser 10 includes a rectangular
container or box 12 for storing the disposable surgical masks 14.
The upper portion of the container 12 includes a dispensing
aperture 16, the peripheral edge of which is defined by
perforations 18. When torn around the perforations 18 an aperture
flap 20 is formed, and is hinged at the back edge of the container
top. A finger hole 22 is provided for grasping the aperture flap 20
and tearing the perforations 18, thereby forming aperture 16. As
illustrated, a plurality of diposable surgical masks 14 are stored
in container 12 for sequential removal through aperture 16.
FIG. 2 is a cut-away side view of the storage and dispenser
container according to the present invention. A divider 24 is
provided for separating the container into two compartments,
namely, an upper compartment 26 and a lower compartment 28. For
reasons of economy, the divider 24 is constructed of the same
material as the container 12, and preferably of a stiff cardboard.
The stacked panels of the masks 14 are stored in the upper
compartment 26. The mask ties, generally identified by reference
character 30, are routed from the upper compartment 26 over the
divider 24 and into the lower compartment 28.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the present invention. In the
preferred embodiment, the container 12 has an upper flap 32, with a
lip 33, which allows opening and closing the top of the container's
12. The container upper flap 32 includes the finger hole 22,
perforations 18 and aperture flap 20. The container 12 also
includes four bottom flaps, 34, 36, 38 and 40, which interlock to
form the bottom of container 12. To be described in more detail
below, the flaps 34 and 36 interlock with parts of the divider
24.
FIG. 3 illustrates the masks 14 and the method of folding thereof,
according to the preferred embodiment. The masks 14 have two upper
ties 42 and two lower ties 44. As shown in FIG. 3, both the upper
tie 42 and lower tie 44 on the same edge of the mask 14 may be part
of a single strip of material attached to the side thereof. Each
mask 14 in the stack is folded such that its two lower ties 44 are
folded upward along the side of the mask 14 so as to align with the
upper ties 42. This stacking arrangement facilitates automatic
folding and stacking the masks 14.
FIG. 3 also depicts the preferred embodiment of the shape of the
container divider 24. The divider 24 is dimensioned such that it
fits within the container 12. Three sides of the divider 24 fit
flush with the sides of the container 12. The remaining non-flush
side 46 is cut so as to form an opening 47 between the upper
compartment 26 and the lower compartment 28. Although the non-flush
side 46 of the divider 24 is illustrated as creating a single
rectangular opening 47 with rounded corners 48 and 50, such side
could also be designed to form a plurality of openings, or form
openings of other shapes.
The divider 24 includes two side sections 52 and 54 described above
as being flush with the container 12. The side sections 52 and 54
are of such length as to position the non-flush side 46 of the
divider 24 in a desired location within container 12. Each side
section is connected by a fold to an interlocking flap 56 and 58
respectively. The interlocking flaps 56 and 58 correspond to
similar shaped flaps 34 and 36 on the bottom of the container
12.
With reference to FIGS. 4-6 there are shown the steps for folding
the container bottom flaps, together with those of the divider 24,
such that the container bottom is closed and the divider 24 is
fixed therein. For clarity, the dispenser 10 is shown without face
masks. However, it should be understood that when assembling the
dispenser 10, the panels of the masks would be folded together and
placed on the top side of divider section 46, with the bundle of
ties 30 routed through opening 47 and placed in the bottom
compartment 28 shown in FIG. 4. As noted in the figure, when the
divider 24 is correctly placed within the container 12, cusped flap
36 of the container is aligned with cusped flap 58 of the divider.
Container and divider cusped flaps 34 and 56 are comparably
aligned. Next, the bottom notched container flap 40 is folded
inwardly as shown.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, all four cusped flaps 34, 36, 56, 58 are
folded inwardly, and the ears 60, 62, 64, 66 thereof are directed
under the bottom notched flap 40. The bottom notched flap 40 thus
being disposed over the ears of all four cusped flaps and under the
diagonal parts of such flaps, establish a locking engagement
therebetween. With this arrangement, the movement of the divider 24
within the container 12 is prevented.
Lastly, the container's bottom flap 38 shown in FIG. 6 is folded
inwardly, and the tab 68 of such flap is forced under the notched
edge of flap 40. With this type of locking technique, the dispenser
10 retains a high degree of cubic rigidity, thereby resisting
damage due to rough handling.
As illustrated in the FIGURES, there is shown the removal of a
single mask 14 from the dispenser 10. Although the aperture 16 is
shown facing upwardly, the dispenser 10 may also be oriented such
that the aperture 16 faces horizontally outwardly. As the front
exposed mask 14 is removed, the ties connected thereto slide
through the divider opening 47 from the second chamber 28 to the
first chamber 26, and out the aperture 16. The divider 24 prevents
the ties from becoming entangled with one another, and thus the
removal of the frontal mask will not result in the removal or
disturbance of other masks in the stack.
It is thus seen that the present invention discloses a method and
device in which the dispensing of masks is substantially improved.
The present invention eliminates the entanglement of masks, yet
avoids the high cost of individually folding the masks and
associated ties.
Although the preferred embodiments have been described in detail,
it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and
alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit
and the scope of the invention as defined by the appended
claims.
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